Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates in general to containers and, in particular, to a system, method and apparatus for drainage collection containers for plants.
Description of the Prior Art
Drainage collection from potted plants is valuable for growers that wish to control the disposal of waste water (drainage) for environmental protection, or to reuse the solution which contains salt and fertilizer. Generally, the drainage is collected into holding ponds where solids precipitate out, or it is diluted with clean water and then applied to in-ground crops. Alternatively, in the case of very dry environments, it is reused after passing through or mixing with water that has passed through a reverse osmosis system.
On a larger scale, this type of drainage can cause environmental pollution if allowed to flow into rivers, streams and groundwater. Fertilizer from golf courses and other agriculture is already being blamed for algae blooms. Several countries, especially in Europe, have passed regulations that require growers to collect waste water that contains fertilizer. These regulations will start to be enforced within several years in some countries.
Some growers place their pots in wide gutters to collect drainage. However, wide gutters have some disadvantages. For example, a gutter as wide as or wider than the pot is expensive and requires near-perfect grading over a large area. In addition, evaporation occurs in wide gutters. Evaporation wastes water and increases the humidity within greenhouses, which can affect flowering, fruiting and encourage some plant diseases. Leaves and other debris also can more readily accumulate in wide gutters, which impedes flow through the gutter and causes water to pool. Thus, improvements in drainage collection containers for plants continue to be of interest.